Gas turbine power plant having means for joint control of the fuel and the air supply



Oct. 14, 1952 A. LYSHOLM 2,613,500

GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT HAVING MEANS FOR JOINT CONTROL OF THE FUEL AND THE AIR SUPPLY Filed June 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 14, 1952 A. LYSHOLM 2,613,500

' GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT HAVING MEANS FOR JOINT CONTROL OF THE FUEL AND THE AIR SUPPLY Filed June 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 14, 1952 A. UYSHOLM 2,613,500

GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT HAVING MEANS FOR JOINT CONTROL OF THE FUEL AND THE AIR SUPPLY Filed June 12, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet a Oct. 14, 1952 A. LYSHOLM GAS TURBINE POWER PLANT HAVING MEANS FOR JOINT CONTROL OF THE FUEL AND THE AIR SUPPLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 12, 1946 Patented Oct. 14, 1952 GAS- TURBINE POWER PLANT HAVING MEANS FOR JOINT CONTROL OF THE- FUEL AND THE SUPPLY Alf Lysholm, Stockholm, Sweden Application June 12, 1946, Seria1 No; 676,3l2'

In Sweden June 22,1945

4 Claims. .1

The present invention relates to a gas turbine power plant having at least .one'centrifugal compressor driven by a gasfturbine and in which the air quantity as Well as the fuel quantity are controlled, in order to adapt the plant to varying operating conditions. w

Owing to its characteristic, a centrifugal compressor is not generally suitable to be used in gas turbine power plants in which it is driven by a gas turbine. Theair quantity passing through the gas turbineis, at constant temperature, substantially proportionalto the pressure and independent of the, speed,- whereas the pressure of the air delivered by the centrifugal compressor is substantially proportional-to the square of the speed, ,Theref ore-it follows that at variations of the speed, disturbances will occur in the form of decreased efliciency and risk for surging or pumping. Iii-partial load control at constant compressor speed, the centrifugal compressor is likewise unsuitable, since in this case temperature control must be applied which is very uneconomical except for the control for reactive propulsion, such as for aircraft,

The invention-hasforits object to provide means to render possible an effectivepartial load control of the gaspturbineand in the most favourable manner, to adapt the quantity of air at all operating conditions of the turbine both with respect to the-,efiiciency of the compressor and the desiredtemperature of the combustion gases without any risk-gfor the compressor to operate in that range; whichusually is'termed the r in o pump n ran e: V

This object anci f-urtherpbjects are attained by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 showdiagrams'representing the relation between pressure, volume andefiiciency of a centrifugal compressor which is provided with guide vanes at;the outlet and inlet,respectively. Fig 3- shows diagrammatically an embodiment of the invention as applied to a gas turbine power plant, for the propulsion of aircraft. Fig. 4 illustrates a similar plant devised for substantially constant or slightly varying speed, which maybe used, for instance, as a prime mover for an electric generator. Fig. 5 shows a gas turbine'power plant for-the propulsion of a ship. Fig; Gillustrates a detail of the outlet of a centrifugal compressor provided with a rotary valve. Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate two modifications of .a ga'sturbine power plant devised for substantially constant speed.

Inthe diagram shown in Fig. 1, the curves H1,

(Cl. (HF-39.27)

Hz and H3 represent pressures as functions of the volume in three difierent positions of the adjustable guide vanes in the outlet of a centrifugal compressor, while the curves m, 7 2 and 1;; represent the corresponding efilciency curves. As will be seen from the diagram, throttling of the outlet area prevents the centrifugal compressor from operating, at a, decrease of the volume of air, in the pumping range characteristic to such compressors. The lower limit values of the pumping range are indicated at a1, a2, a3 and the upper limit values at 1'1, via and ai. As will be seen, the efficiency can at the same time be maintained at a relatively high and substantially constant level.

In the diagram illustrated in Fig. 2, the curves H1--H5 represent pressures as functions of the volume in different positions of rotary guide vanes provided at the inlet of a centrifugal compressor, whereas the curves 1 1, 1 2 etc. represent the corresponding efficiencies. The points corresponding to the pumping range limits of the various curve are interconnected by the line b. It will be evident that upon throttling of the compressor inlet the pressure as well as the volume will be reduced, and the operating points on the various H-curves are located at satisfactory distances from the pumping range limit. However, the efiiciency will be rapidly decreased at a decrease of the air quantity.

It wil1 be seen that the most favourable possibilities of control will be obtained by the use of controlling means for the inlet as well as the outlet of the compressor. For instance, after having attained the most suitable I-I-curve by controlling the inlet in accordance with Fig. 2, the compressor can be adjusted, by control of the outlet, to that operating point on the curve in question, whichcorresponds to the highest efliciency. It should be noted, however, that control merely by means of the inlet guide vanes is, in spite of variations of the compressor efiiciency, to be preferred to the use of an uncontrolled centrifugal compressor.

The above described possibilities of control by means'of adjustable guide vanes or equivalent means in conjunction with centrifugal compressors result in especially great advantages, if the centrifugal compressor is used in connection with a gas turbine power plant, the method of control being dependent upon the purpose and arrangement of the gas turbine power plant.

In Fig. 3, there is illustrated a gas turbine power plant for the propulsion of aircraft. The plant comprises a turbine I, two centrifugal respectively, arranged concentrically with. re

spect to the shaft 'l. The gear wheels. 9a andSb are adapted to be rotated by one of the gear wheels 8a and 81), respectively, driven by the gear wheels Illa and [01), respectively, which-are mounted on a control shaft H.

In the embodiment shown, the gear ratio between the wheels iea and 8a is lower than the ratio between the wheels lflb and'8btv As a re.- sult thereof, the outlet guide vanes'fia' oftlie low pressure compressor 2a Will1be adjustedless' than the outlet guide vanes 6'0 of the high pressure compressor 2b. This isisuitable" in' such. cases where the greatest portion of the outputlis taken out in'the formof reactive effect. In prime'movers in which'the output 'is"substantiallyiabsorbed by a propeller; the arrangement should be inverse, that is, the outletLguide vanes of the high pressure compressor should be adjusted less than those of the low' pressure compressor'and'in an opposite direction; forinstanceby means" of an intermediate gear'wheel.

From the diffuser [227 located outwardly'ofthe guide vanes 61), the compressedairis'suppliedinto a combustion chamber I3 into whichfuel is injected through a conduit [4. The. combustion gases pass through'a pipe to the inlet'of the turbine, and the exhaust" gases are discharged from the turbine through'a' pipe 16 provided'with a controldevice it. In the'embodiment shown; the propeller 3 is an auxiliarypropeller. The greatest portion of the thrust is intended to be obtained by jet propulsion by means of thee):- haust gases discharged through the pipe l6.

At the end of the common shaft H there'is provided a toothed gear 18' fortdrivingzacentrifugal governor 19 which by means" of alever 20' actuates a diagrammatically; indicated control valve 2| for the supply of fuel through the conduit M to the combustion chamber I3. Thecontrol shaft I I for turning the guide vanesis adapted to be actuated by means-ofa control lever 22 and a crank 23.

The lever 20 isbymeans ofa spring 24' con:- nected with the transmission member between the controllever 22 and the crank 23. Upon-adjustment of the control lever'towardsincreased output, said'spring'is tensioned and acts upon the fuel valve 2| and the governor. [Bin such a manner that the speedof the-turbine will'be increased. At the same time, the-guide vanes 6a and 61) will be turned towardsclosing positions. In this way, the operating point 'of the compressorv is adjustedto correspondto tlie quantit'ypf' At" thispoint; the. compressor operates with. its-best efli the. air. passing through the: turbine.

ciency and without riskxof'pumping;

Fig. 4i shows diagrammatically'aplantforrdriving. an electric generatorindicated .at23ll.. This. generator may be. assumed to. feed. an". electric.

motor 39 for the propulsion of a ship propeller in which case the turbine speed should vary in response to theload: Fig. 4 shows substanttially the same devices which are represented in Fig. 3. In the present instance, however, the low pressure compressor 2a is provided with guide vanes at the outlet as well as at the inlet 4a. The adjustable guide vanes at the inlet of the compressor 2a. are indicatedat 3|. andare controlled1bymeans of gear wheels 32' which are cooperating with a common gear wheel 33. One of the gear wheels 32 also meshes with a gear Wheel 31 mounted on the shaft I I. Due to this arrangement,,the outlet and inlet guide vanes will be;turnedisimultaneously so that the compressor can be operatedwith an efficiency as high as possible.

The high pressure compressor 2b is merely diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 4, and lacks inlet aswell as outlet guide vanes. From the diffuser I2a..air is supplied to an inlet pipe 4b for the high pressure compressor 21) and passes through an intermediate cooler 55. The inlet pipe 41) is further provided with a; shortconduit Iflladapted to be put: into. communication: with theatmosphere. The end of "said-conduit is controlled by a spring,- loaded'valve l05which' automatically opens when the-pressure in'the' inlet pipe 412 fallsbelow the atmospheric pressure. Due to this arrangement, it is possibleto put' the low pressure compressor 2a entirely or substantially entirely out. of operation atglow loads, inwhich case the low pressure compressoris idling; while the'main portion of the air "quantity'is drawn in' through the conduit- I04 andthe. main compressor work is performed by the-high'pressure compressor 2b.

When theplant 'described isintended to be operated at substantiallyconstant speed, the lever 20 actuated'by thecentrifugal-governor and connected'with' the fuelvalve=2l is connected with a bevel gearing 34- which by" means of a shaft 35'and"-a second bevel gearing 36 actuates the control shaft ll"for'the-adjustment of the guide vanes, thearrangement being such that upon increase of the speed the fuel quantity is reduced and the inlet guide vanes are turned towards closing positionssothat an air vortex will occur in the compressor inlet, whereas the outlet guide vanes areopenedi In addition thereto, the speed maybe-varied within certain limits by means of the control levers22 which is connected with the lever ZOby'means of the'sprlng 24.

In' Fig. 5, there is illustrated a gas turbine power plant for propulsion of 'ships. The plant comprises tWo-gasturbinesii and 52 arranged in series Witheach other; The high pressure turbine 5| drives a centrifugal compressor 53,whereas the lowpressure turbine 52 drives a compressor 54 of the displacement typearranged in series after the centrifugal compressor 53; The compressor 53 is provi'ded with. the outlet" guide vanes Errand- 6b previously described. Between the compressors there -iszprovided a cooler 55. The displacementicompressor 54 maybe'by passed by means-of a conduit'5'6 provided with a flap 51. From the displacementcompressor; the air'is supplied'through: aconduit 58 into a first combustion chamberilliand hencetto the-high pressure turbinev5l; The exhaust gases. from. the high pressurezturbine pass through a conduit 60 into a second combustionchamberrfil and to the low pressure turbine52'. Before thegasesi are dis charged into tliezatmosphere, they pass from the low pressure; turbine through a heat exchanger 62, for-heatingjthe combustionairadmitted to the first; combustion chamber 59.

The low pressure. turbine 52 is adapted to drive the. propeller; 64 by means of a gearing 63. A

5 starting motor 65 is connected with the shaft of the high pressure turbine 5I. I

The centrifugal compressor 53 is provided with adjustable outlet guide vanes substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3. Each guide vane shaft carries a gear'wheel 8 meshing with a common gear wheel 9 adapted to be rotated by a gear wheel I and one ofthe wheels 8. The gear wheel I0 is mounted on the control shaft I I which through a bevel gear wheel 66 is connected with a bevel gear wheel 60 adapted to be turned by means of a control lever 61. The? gear wheel 08 further meshes with a bevel gear wheel I59 mounted on a control shaft III which has mounted thereon four cams II, I2, I3 and I I. The cam II is adapted to actuate a valve device SI for the control of the fuel supply to the combustion chamber 59, whereas the cam I3 actuates a similar valve device 83 for the control of the supply of fuel to the combustion chamber BI. The cam I2 actuates, by means of a rod "I5, a flap valve 82 in a branch conduit connected to the conduit 00 and opening into the atmosphere. Finally, the cam I4 actuates the flap valve 51 in the by-pass conduit 55 of the displacement type compressor 54. I

At high load, both fuel valves BI and 83 are open, whereas the flaps 51 and 82 are closed. At the same time, the adjustable guide vanes in the outlet of the compressor 53 are open. At low load, the main portion of fuel is injected into the combustion chamber 59, while the fuel valve 83 is closed or open to a small degree only. The outlet area of the centrifugal compressor 53 is gradually decreased at decreasing load, and at very low loads the displacement compressor 54' is put out of operation by opening the flap 5'! in the by-pass conduit 58. During idling, the valve 8| is only partly open, valve 83 is closed, and both flaps 5'! and 82 are open.

Fig. 6 illustrates by way of example a detail of an embodiment of a centrifugal compressor the outlet of which is provided with a rotary valve 90 instead of adjustable guide vanes for the control of the outlet area. The compressor outlet is devised with eight spirally shaped passages 9I. Four of these passages can be closed by means of the rotary slide 90 which to this end is pro vided with four closing members 92.

Fig. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a gas turbine power plant suitable for driving an electric generator or other device at a substantially constant speed. Reference numeral 93 indicates a low pressure centrifugal compressor provided with adjustable guide vanes 6 at the outlet. By means of a conduit 94, the compressor 93 is arranged in series with a high pressure compressor 95, a cooling device 99 being provided for cooling the air flowing from the low pressure compressor to the inlet of the high pressure compressor. The air finally compressed is supplied into a combustion chamber 91 into which fuel is injected through a conduit 98. products are then admitted to a low pressure turbine 99- the outlet of which is connected to a second combustion chamber I00 into which fuel is supplied through a conduit IOI. Numeral I02 indicates the common fuel supply pipe. After being reheated in the combustion chamber I00, the driving fluid enters a low pressure turbine I03 the exhaust gases of which are discharged through the outlet I04.

The high pressure compressor 95, both turbines 99 and I03 and an electric generator I95 are mounted on a common shaft I06, while the The combustion low pressure compressor 93 is mounted on a shaft I0'I which is connected to the shaft I00 by means of a variable speed device, such as a hydraulic clutch diagrammatically indicated at I08. The clutch I08 is supplied withliquid, such -as,oil, from a tank I09 by means of a pump III], a control valve I I I being inserted in the supplyconduit II2. Through a conduit II3, liquid. is returned from the hydraulic clutch to the tank I09. It will be evident that the power transmitted from shaft I06 to shaft I0I will increase as the quantity of liquid circulating through the system I09, I I0, I I I, I I2, I08, I I3 is increased when the crosssectional area of valve III is increased. In this case, the low pressure compressor will be rotated atincreased speed and will as a consequence deliveran increased quantity of compressed air to the high pressure compressor.

The guide vanes 6 are adjusted by means of gear wheels substantially in the same manner as described with reference to the embodiments illustrated in Figs. 3-5. By means of a rod H4 and a crank device I IS, the centrifugal governor also acts upon a shaft IIO provided-with cams H1, H8 and H9. The cams I I1 and H8 actuate valves I20 and I2 I, respectively, for the control of the quantity of fuel supplied to the combustion chambers, while cam II9 actuates the valve III in the liquid circuit of the variable speed device I08. I

In the present instance, too, a common control device I 9 controls the positions of the adjustable guide vanes as well as the supply of fuel. In addition thereto, the common control device also controls the powerinput to the low pressure compressor by means of the variable speed device I08.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 8, the low pressure compressor I22 is directly connected with a low pressure turbine I23. An intermediate pressure compressor I20, a high pressure compressor I25, a high pressure turbine I26, an intermediate pressure turbine I21, and an electric generator I28 are mounted on a common shaft I29. Between the intermediate pressure compressor I24 and the high pressure compressor I25, there is provided a second cooling device 98. The valves I2I and I20 in the fluid supply conduits 98 and I0 I, respectively are again controlled by means of cams I I8 and I II, respectively, mounted on the cam shaft I I6 which in a similar manner as in the preceding embodiment is actuated by the centrifugal governor I9 by means of a control rod I I4 which further acts upon the shaft II and the adjustable guide vanes 6.

Between the inlet and the outlet of the low pressure turbine I23, there is provided a by-pass conduit I30 which is controlled by means of a valve I3I actuated by a cam I32 which is mounted on the cam shaft II6. Through the conduit I30, driving fluid can be directly discharged into the outlet of the low pressure turbine I23 at full load when the low pressure compressor I22 may deliver an air quantity exceeding the quantity required at full load.

It will be apparent from the description of the preceding embodiments that in the modifications illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the control of the fuel supplied to the combustion chambers and the control of the adjustable guide vanes at the outlet of the low pressure compressor are associated with each other such as to secure the best efficiency at varying load conditions in combination with a corresponding control of the speed of the low pressure compressor by means of the variable speed device lfldorathe by-pass control valve 13].

It will be understood that the inventionis not limited to the embodiments and modifications il- ,lustrated and described.

What I claim is:

1. In a gas turbine. power plant, a gas turbine, a centrifugal air compressor having an air inlet and an air outlet, means for mechanically connecting the air compressor with the turbine for driving the air compressor from the turbine at a constant ratio of speed, a combustion chamber, a conduit for supplying compressed air from said compressor to said combustion chamber, means for supplying fuel to said combustion chamber, a conduit for supplying combustion products from said combustion chamber to said turbine, means for controlling the quantity of fuel supplied to said combustion chamber, and vanes in the compressor, adjustable for controlling the throat area of the vanes for controlling the compressor characteristic, and .operatively connected to said fuel means for joint control of the fuel supply and the said throat area, so that the compressor characteristic is automatically adapted tochanged conditions as regards fuel supply, speed and load.

2. .A gas turbine power plant as called for in claim 1 having adjustable diffuser vanes.

3. In a gas turbine power plant, a gas turbine, a centrifugal air compressor having an air inlet and an air outlet, means for mechanically connecting the air compressor with theturbine for driving theair compressor from the turbine at a constant ratio of speed, a combustion chamber, a conduit for supplying compressed air from said high pressure compressor to said combustion chamber, means for supplying fuel to said combustion chamber, a conduit for supplying combustion products from said combustion chamber to said turbine, means for controlling. the quantity of fuel supplied to said combustion chamber, and vanes in the compressor, adjustable for controlling the throat area of the vanes for controlling the compressor characteristic, and operatively connected to said fuel means for joint control of the fuel supply and the said throat area, so that the compressor characteristic is automatically adapted to changed conditions as regards fuel supply, speed and load.

4. In a gas turbine power plant, a gas turbine, a centrifugal air compressor having an air inlet and an air outlet, means for mechanically connecting the air compressor with the turbine for driving the-air compressor from the turbine at a constant ratio of speed, a combustion chamber, a conduit for supplying compressed air from said high pressure compressor to said combustion chamber, means for supplying fuel to said combustion chamber, a conduit for supplying combustion products from said combustion chamber to said turbine, means for controlling the quantity of fuel supplied to said combustion chamber, and vanes in the compressor, adjustable for controlling the throat area of the vanes for control- .ling the compressor characteristic, and operatively connected to said fuel means for joint control of the fuel supply and the said throat area, so that the compressor characteristic is automatically adapted to changed conditions as re gards fuel supply, speed and load.

ALF LYSHOLM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,052,588 Janicki Feb. 11, 1913 2,115,112 Lysholm Apr. 26, 1.938 2,238,905 Lysholm Apr. 22, 1941 2,322,987 West June 29, 1943 2,397,060 Szydlowski Mar. 19, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 515,469 Great Britain Dec. 6, 1939 659,211 Germany Apr. 1938 

